Chapter 9: The Grand Princess's Scheme
Ning Chen walked past Sun Kejian without even glancing at him.
Therefore, when the Prime Minister, as the head of all officials, speaks up to inquire, even the Emperor must take it seriously
Ning Chen remembered that this Right Prime Minister's surname was Lin and his given name was Dunxin
Wu Zhao did not expect that Ning Chen actually knew about his schemes
When Ning Chen came out, Sun Kejian, who had received thirty lashes, was lying on the ground, his face filled with anger, glaring at Ning Chen with bloodshot eyes and shouting.
Thank you for your efforts
As for matters of great importance, they are not as significant as the emperor's death or abdication; in the eyes of this left chancellor, they are all trivial matters
Only after the emperor departs can the ministers leave
It does not matter whether Prime Minister Lin knows or not, and in fact, after my investigation.
"Sophistry!" Upon hearing Ning Chen's fallacious reasoning, an imperial censor angrily rebuked him on the spot
When the Grand Princess raised her head, Ning Chen immediately felt that the vibrant flowers in the courtyard lost their luster in an instant
Prime Minister Lin was quite displeased after being choked by Ning Chen
Bai Renyuan, a person who is indeed inconsistent in his words and actions, is truly unfit for the grand ceremony of establishing a successor. The Emperor's words serve as a definitive conclusion to this matter
As a censor of integrity, being subjected to such questions and portrayed in this manner, receiving a beating is truly more painful for him than being killed
As for Sun Kejian, Ning Chen feels not a shred of guilt
This is somewhat different from the court intrigues he is familiar with
"Who is Bai Renyuan that you mentioned? I do not know him. I only wish to understand the basis on which you unilaterally decided to procure this matter?" Lin the Prime Minister spoke softly.
Mingde Hall is located on the eastern side of the palace and is theoretically the residence of the Crown Prince in the Eastern Palace
The one who spoke is the Right Chancellor, the same person who was almost angered to the point of falling to the ground by Ning Chen earlier
Prime Minister Lin said: "However, to my knowledge, you decided to use Wan Hong without hearing what the two individuals had to say."
Ignoring Prime Minister Lin, Ning Chen once again recounted his previous arguments against Bai Renyuan in the court
The Grand Princess neatly placed the last few memorials she had approved on her left side before raising her head to look at Ning Chen
Ning Chen followed the young eunuch and arrived at the Mingde Hall, where the Grand Princess resided
After observing the performances of two individuals, I made the decision to employ Wan Hong on the spot
It is not surprising for Ning Chen that Prime Minister Lin would claim not to know Bai Renyuan
The Grand Princess is dressed in a bright yellow palace gown, and her beauty goes without saying. In terms of appearance alone, the Grand Princess's looks surpass those of Hong Xiao.
Esteemed officials, are there any other matters to discuss? If not, let us disperse, for I am also weary of listening.
There is really nothing more to say about them, as Ning Chen is indeed very high-profile, putting all these matters out in the open
In simple terms, the emperor also felt that how could he possibly be on the same level as these poor wretches
Looking at the long table in front of the Grand Princess, Ning Chen felt that this long table was undoubtedly the happiest long table in the world
The Grand Princess sat behind a long table, with memorials placed on either side. On her left, there was already a thick stack of approved memorials, while on her right, only a few remained.
Ning Chen did not know what others thought, but in any case, Ning Chen could see that the Emperor was very much in favor of his statement
"Do you know why I summoned you?" the Grand Princess asked Ning Chen, who was not far away.
Why is Ning Chen so certain that he has disrupted the plans of the Princess Chang? It is because Princess Wu Zhao has provided Ning Chen with the most "flattery" points today
"Sycophantic ministers and treacherous sons!"
The words have already been spoken by Ning Chen, and the emperor has also tacitly approved them
The Prime Minister Lin raised this question merely to inquire why I chose Wan Hong instead of Bai Renyuan; he could have simply asked directly.
Ning Chen felt for the first time that waiting for someone is also a very happy thing
Ning Chen responded with an acknowledgment and then stepped into the room
The flowing water in the courtyard is certainly indispensable
Because I disrupted the plans of the Grand Princess, Ning Chen said
On the procurement list of the Ministry of Works, theoretically, the only two companies capable of handling the procurement for the Grand Storage Ceremony are Wanhong and Bai Renyuan.
Just as Ning Chen had just left the main hall and arrived at the corridor, a young eunuch came out and blocked his way.
He is the second-in-command of the Ministry of Personnel, yet in practice, he is the actual number one. This is because the Left Chancellor of the Ministry of Personnel, who is essentially the top leader of the ministry, is currently wholeheartedly pursuing Confucianism and Taoism, and is basically neglecting state affairs. Unless it is a matter of great importance, this Left Chancellor is rarely seen.
The princess wishes to use Bai Renyuan
"Good." Ning Chen was not surprised at all and immediately agreed.
Ning Chen, under the guidance of a palace maid with both an excellent appearance and figure, finally met the Grand Princess
Certainly, the reasons for this disdain are varied and numerous
I have ridden in a carriage, and I have also resided in a mansion
Ning Chen came up and directly disregarded the rules, which caused Lin Dunxin to be slightly taken aback
Ning Chen chuckled and said: "So what I just used was 'to see' their performance, rather than 'to hear' their performance"
Lord Ning, the Grand Princess is waiting for you inside
However, the seasoned Prime Minister Lin would not lose his composure due to such minor disturbances
The reason I am staying here is to observe the quality of the products from Wanhong.
Ning Chen spoke in a clear voice, saying: "I, Ning Chen, serve the Emperor with integrity. If I truly wished to embezzle, how could I dare to openly reveal all of this?"
Wan Hongxian came to see me, and later Bai Renyuan also arrived
The room is constructed with great elegance, featuring hollowed-out designs on all four sides, and adorned with blooming flowers placed throughout. A gentle breeze wafts through, filling the entire room with a continuous flow of floral fragrance
"Lord Ning, the Grand Princess requests your presence," the young eunuch said softly to Ning Chen
Whether one is familiar or not is of no importance to Ning Chen; what matters is that he has already laid the matter out in the open.
The key point is not this; the key point is that the Grand Princess truly lives up to her title as a royal, fully deserving of the phrase 'having grace'.
However, in Ning Chen's view, this is of no significance
The matter of Mingxian Hongxiao must have had a considerable impact on their sensitivities
This ... ...
However, I am not accepting bribes; I have made it clear to Boss Wan that I am merely staying temporarily.
Dealing with these old foxes and their schemes, Ning Chen felt that not to mention himself, even the original owner, this top scholar, was far inferior in terms of experience compared to these seasoned veterans
Is it really as good as he says? Is it really as reliable as he claims
"Then tell me, what scheme of this princess did you ruin?" Wu Zhaoxing asked, her eyes sparkling as she fixed her gaze on Ning Chen.
Thus, Ning Chen changed his strategy and directly put the issue on the table, you think I am embezzling, but I also think you are protecting your own people
Looking up for a moment, Ning Chen was somewhat surprised by the name of the palace.
The grand princess has moved in directly, even though the grand ceremony for the establishment of the reserve has not yet taken place
The young eunuch led Ning Chen to a room on the west side of the Mingde Hall and said to him
Ning Chen did not disturb the Grand Princess as she reviewed the memorials, but stood at a distance waiting
Ning Chen left with an air of arrogance, while the surrounding ministers looked at him with disdain
If you wish to splash dirt on me, do not expect to remain unscathed yourself
I believe it is the luxurious carriages and the grand mansions that are truly the reasons for Ning Zhuangyuan's choice of Wan Hong
And all of this occurred after today's morning meeting concluded
However, in any case, this time, even the previous few provided Ning Chen with a few loyal good brothers, also provided Ning Chen with a few sycophants
What else can they say, do not forget, Sun Kejian is still outside taking the blame